1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the implementation of clinical practice guidelines, and in particular to a system for executing clinical practice guidelines based on data stored in a clinical information system.
2. Background of the Invention
The potential benefits of standardizing clinical practices in medical care have been widely recognized. By following medical (or “clinical practice”) guidelines, clinicians can work more efficiently, and thus reduce unwanted variation, medical errors, and the cost of providing service. Best practices can be shared and distributed as they are developed, improving the quality of care. Guidelines, largely authored by medical associations, are generally conveyed in written form, such as through textbooks, magazines, newsletters, or PDFs. Under the existing paradigm, physicians and other clinicians are expected to read these guidelines and apply them appropriately at the point of care in a hospital or other health-care provider setting.
However great, the promise of clinical practice guidelines remains unmet because of several obstacles. Some aspects of the guidelines may be open to interpretation by clinicians and require translation to the local clinical setting. Guidelines are often poorly integrated into day-to-day workflow, with a lack of intervention modes in support of guideline recommendations. The risk of medical mistakes is especially great in high-stress situations such as emergency room treatment. The long lead times typically required to develop and deploy guidelines also mean that guidelines may quickly become outdated and frequently do not reflect the state-of-the-art in medical care.
For these reasons, there is a need to improve the delivery of clinical guidelines beyond the passive distribution of written materials to end-users by providing systems that allow clinicians to easily and effectively use clinical practice guidelines.